When you think of “Precious Truths” which is the greatest of them all? For me the answer is simply God’s love.
Consider this…without the love of God, would He have sent His Son to pay our penalty of sin? Without the love of God could we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ? Without the love of God could we have hope of eternal life?
It is the love of God which sent Christ to the manger. It is the love of God which sent Christ to the cross. It is the love of God which gives the gift of eternal life.
“For God SO loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
It shows us that God loves us enough that He would send His beloved Son into this lost world in order to reconcile us to Himself through His Son’s death.
The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). We are also told that our sin separates us from God as we earn the penalty of death (Romans 6:23).
“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened [made us alive] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
This is an amazing reality…this is amazing love! “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:…” (1 John 3:1)
I picture the apostle John writing these words and saying, “Wow! This is amazing! God loves me so much that He made a way possible for me to become His child!” It still shook John to the very core, even at the end of his life, as he considered what his Savior did for him.
In the Gospel of John the apostle is only mentioned as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This title was what he wanted to be remembered by because of the precious truth that it displayed. What title do you and I want to be called? What do we want to be known for?
The Bible further explains how God’s love was displayed in Christ’s death.
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [the atoning sacrifice] for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)
God “manifested” or displayed His love to us by sending His Son into this world to pay the penalty for our sin. God poured out His just and divine wrath upon His beloved Son in the place of all of us sinners.
“But God [demonstrated] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Christ said to us in His actions, “I love you this much” as He willingly spread out His arms upon the cross and died in our place.
One of the ways the Bible defines love is found in John 15:13 where it says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Christ Jesus laid down His life for us. He sacrificed His own life so that we could have a relationship with the Father as our Father. In John 17, Christ prays “for them also which shall be believe on Me” (v. 20). His desire was for us to have the same relationship that He has with the Father. He says, “That they [those who believe] all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us:…” (v. 21) He goes on to say in verse 23 that He desires that we would be loved by the Father just as He is loved by the Father. This self-sacrificing love was expressed upon the cross—it was done so that we could live—truly live.
As I consider the extent of the love of God I realize that these words only begin to scratch the surface, if even that. I pray that as you read these words that you would stop and meditate upon God’s love. What does it mean for you?
The apostle Paul’s prayer was “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which [transcends] knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
This prayer of Paul is for his audience to “know the love of Christ” which transcends human understanding. Knowing the “love of God” brings change. To be “filled” is to be controlled. Being “filled with the fullness of God” is to be controlled by God as He transforms us into the image of His Son. This speaks of becoming more like Jesus Christ. Knowing the “love of Christ” leads to the likeness of Christ. The more we rest in God’s love the more we are changed by it.
Do you know the love of God? Have you entered into this wonderful relationship with God by placing your faith and trust in Him alone for salvation?
The Bible clearly says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
I close with words from a favorite hymn of mine called, “The Love of God.” Consider the third verse and chorus…
“Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure the saints’ and angels’ song.” – (hymn by Frederick Lehman, lyrics are based on the Jewish poem Haddamut)
